The Daily News SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 216, 5 September 1908, Page 2

The Daily News SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.

A VALIANT FIGHT. With the assistance of the Premier, and backed by the knowledge of the "nocomproinise'' attitude ot the members of the New [Plymouth Harbor Board, the supporters, in and out of Parliament, of the New I'lymoulh Harbor Hoard Empowering Bill on Thursday night had' the satisfaction of witnessing the passing of the Bill practically as its promoters framed it for Parliament. But it was a valiant light, during the progress of which the Bill was lor a considerable time in jeopardy. The Liill as it left the Local Bills Committee was not acceptable to the Hiirbur Board or to the ratepayers, and a section of Parliament would still further have altered its vital features to an extent that would have compelled the Board, keeping faith with the ratepayers, to have dropped the whole measure. The gre.'.t task that confronted the Harbor Hoard deputation which was in Wellington watching the interests of the Bill was to have reinserted ill the Bill certain vital clauses that the Ijocal Bills Committee, after hearing evidence, had excised from the measure. The task, under ordinary circumstances, might be fairy considered one almost impossible of accomplishment. The battle had to uc. fought and won or lost on Thursday last, which was the last day of the session set aside for local Bills. Fortunately for Taranaki, the Opunake and New Plymouth Bills occupied leading positions on the list, and were assured a hearing, and they got it, occupying the attention of Parliament practical l }' the whole day.

The Opunakc Dill was first on the list, and a position • dangerous to the safe passage of both Bills was immediately created by the member in charge of the Bill, Mr. "Major, endeavoring to further extend the area which the Local Bills Committee had recommended to form the Opumike district. To fully explain the position, it will lie remembered that the New Plymouth Harbor Bill proposed to exempt the Opunakc town, of a value of something like £79,000, from the New Plymouth harbor district. Tiie Opunakc Bill provided an area of a value of about a million and a-lralf sterling, which would have to be taken from the Xew Plymouth district. After hearing evidence, tlie Local Bills Committee established the Opunakc harbor district with a valuation of 1515,01)0, or about one-third that which the Opumike Mil promoters asked for, and cC43(i,()00 more than the Xew Plymouth Bill had purposed allowing the Opunakc district. The promoters of the New I'lymoulh Bill accepted the position, against which there was no use whatever in protesting, as the Local Bills Committee hid come to its decision judically on the evidence fully placed before it by all parties. When the Opunakc Bill came 01 for consideration in committee, Mr. .Major proposed to increase the Opuuake district bv taking in a further strip having a' rating value of C210,I)U). which, of course, would have to come out of the New Plymouth district. The subject was contested all the afternoon, and eventually the Premier moved to report progress on both Bills in order that a conference between the rival parties and members might take place.

This was held immediately, but no progress was made for a considerable time. The membersof the New Plymouth Harbor Board deputation stood firm, absolutely refusing to agree to any further extension of the Opunake district. To the more reasonable supporters of the Opunake Bill it eventually became apparent that unless some arrangement was arrived at both Hills would be killed. The Xew Plymouth members would not yield, determining to sacrifice the measure rather than break faith with the ratepayers, and eventually the majority of the Opunake Bill's sponsors gave way, and the deadlock was ended and tlie way cleared for the passage of both Bills so far as the boundaries of districts was concerned. A stiller light was to come, however, one on a question :-f principle, in the ultimate winning of which the New Plymouth Harbor Bill supporters secured, unwittingly, perhaps, almost a national victory' on Unvoting principle. The Bill us sent lo Parliament provided for plural votimThe. Local Hills Committee, however i"i accordance with the spirit of recent franchise legislation, altered the voting basis to one man one vote. So far as the Harbor Board was concerned it wis absolutely essential that the original proposal must be retained if the Bi.l was to be accepted, as the clause had 1 n declare,! a -vital" one, the rejection of which would have meant the withdrawal of the measure as pledged to the ratepayers. Only after tlie Premier had taken his stand on the side of the Harbor Board, slating if tlie Hou-e endeavored to ram a general principle down the throats of the people without giving consideration to the special circumstances they would find themselves in an awkward predicament, was the original plural voting proposal reinserted by 34 to 23.

Another important alteration which has lieon made in the original Bill, hut one which will U o doubt meet with the hearty approval of the vast majority ef V ratepayers, is the substitution' for the original sinking fund comprised of balance of a definite sinking fund of one •per cent. Although the sinking fund .clauses in the Bill had .been declared "vital" bv the Board, it was a fact that the majority of ratepayers' meetings were more favorable to a one per ceni. sinking fund than the other, and the Harbor Board deputation to Wellington accordingly felt they could accept Parliament's alteration regarding this provision and keep faith with the wishes of the ratepayers. The value of the sinking fund has not been reduced in any way; only the nature of it is changed to a definite amount per annum. The trust account which the Bill proposes to set up, and from whiclr interest and sinking fund have to be paid, now remains intact, although the method of paying the sinking fund has lieen altered. Clause 21 of the Bill, for the earmarking of the trust account and the compulsory payment of all earmarked sums into ihe account in each year/whether required (hat year or not, was a most essential clause to absolutely secure to'the ratepayers, without question, the "earmarking" conditions of clause lfi. Head w ith clause 1!), but not necessarily otherwise, clause 2.1 absolutely sets aside Land Fund, endowments, and t-lofin port revenue for the payment of interest and sinking fund, and for XO other purpose.

£ It will be at once understood that this clause was the essential basis of the whole contract 'with the ratepayer,',. This vital and fundamental provision the Local Bills Committee struck out, and, as will be readily understood, the main efforts of the New Plymouth Harbor Board deputation were'concentrated on the reinsertion of the clause, which was, thanks to the persistency of the delegates and in the interests of th« ratepayers, eventually accomplished. All Ihe clauses governing (he differential rating proposals have also been retained inf act. Furl her. the clauses required by the ratepayers under (he third schedule exempting them from further borrowhur, and also (hat of the redislri.. button of wards, which were Hie basis of the arrangement with the YVaitnafe Plains ratepayers, were inserted in the Bill in full. In short, I hen-fore, Ihe Hill has practically passed the Lower House almost intact.

The portion taken out of the total New Plymouth district (o form the Opunako district was done by the Local Bills Committee ill «pit,. of' Hie strenuous nopositton of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, who were fully prepared to withdraw the Hill as promised if Parliament persisted in altering any of the vital clauses. The ratepayers can rest acsured thai the Hoard was no partv to Ilie establishment of an Ominake' district, of greater area than the borough, and would have had the area reinstnl-d in the New Plymouth district had there lieen any possible chance of doing so. paratively small area, however, is in no way vital to the interests of Hie remaiiiing New Plymouth harbor district All the vilal clauses, especially those earmarking funds sufficient to pay interest and sinking fund without (lie necessity of a rale, have been retained, so the reduction of the original (listrid by about I'lr.n.Ooo can bnvc no practical effect. Because, as we have jtlsl pointed out. in Ilie first place (here will be no rale, and in the second place. Ilie whole' of tic area under the third schedule fin which was (he Oounake district) has been .heci.illv excluded froai any further liability.

Wo need only conclude, in summing iO. by as-oiriiH the ratepayers that' the principle of dill'ercnlial rating as to system, amounts, and proportion has not. been altered; ilie -v-tciu of vol in;' has not been altered: Ilie '■oarmnrkiii"" of revenue for interest „,id siokiim fund payments remains inviolate; the sinking filial is. if auvlliiii". placed on a firmer and more concrete footing, and the outside district Vi-. as oroini.ed. 1 n exempted from farther borrowing for HeJ New Plynioulh linvltor. The position 's| a most satisfactory one. and the thanks

of tho ratepayers are due to the Premier and thi! Minister for Marine (the Hon. 3. A. Millar) for the splendid assistance tliey have afforded' -Mi'- Okey in piloting an almost beaten measure through the House. Only those closely watching the progress of events know what a close cull the measure had, and how valiantly Messrs. Maxwell, funnel;', King, and Mars have had to guard the principles cm which the Bill is based. The Hill, of course, is not yet law. it has to he passed by the Legislative Council, hut with advocates like the Hon. Thomas Kelly, Oliver Samuel, and W. Carncross behind it the Hill will, it is pretty certain, be passed without any of its vital principles being disturbed.